Edit This Favorite

Each year in the United States there are approximately 3,500 Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID). These deaths occur among infants less than 1 year old and have no immediately obvious cause. Although the causes of death in many of these infants cannot be explained, statistics show that as many as 80-90 percent are the result of unsafe sleep practices.

The majority of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths are categorized as one of the following.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted, including an examination of the death scene, a complete autopsy, and a review of the infant’s clinical history. SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old.

Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB)

This classification includes infant deaths caused by asphyxiation and suffocation in a sleeping environment. Mechanisms that lead to ASSB include:

Suffocation by soft bedding—such as a pillow or waterbed mattress.

Overlay—when another person rolls on top of or against the infant while sleeping.

Wedging or entrapment—when an infant is wedged between two objects such as a mattress and wall, bed frame, or furniture.

Strangulation—when something presses on or wraps around the infant’s head and neck blocking the infant’s airway.

Unknown Cause

The sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained because a thorough investigation was not conducted and cause of death could not be determined.

Extensive research has shown that parents and infant caregivers can reduce the risk of SIDS, accidental suffocation and accidents during sleep by following lifesaving recommendations. As retailers you can promote Safe Sleep by utilizing the following free resources to educate your consumers online and in store.

Safe Sleep Resources

Naptime to Nighttime

This long established and often updated fact sheet provides Infant Bedding and Crib Safety Tips.

Create a display offering free copies of theNaptime to Nighttimebrochure. Keep these at a heavily used register, such as the customer service counter. Or, have an employee greet customers and distribute brochures at the front of your store. Please make customers aware a Spanish versionis also available. In addition feel free to include the downloadable brochure on your website.

Traditional Bumper Pads

When used properly, traditional bumper pads can help prevent limb entrapments and head injuries.

JPMA Recommendations for Retailer Crib Display

Currently, there are no specific formats or standards for retailers to follow in regard to crib display and as a result, chain and individual boutique retailers each exercise their own interpretation of how a crib should be merchandised. In order to provide consistency for crib display in stores, on websites and on packaging, JPMA has developed the following suggestions for retailers regarding the display of cribs and crib accessories.

In-store, website and packaging crib displays marketed for use by children less than one year of age should not include items that present a suffocation or choking hazard to the infant, such as pillows, blankets, comforters, toys, stuffed animals or other pillow-like products. Avoid excessive clutter in crib display.

Crib displays should include warning signs that inform consumers that safe sleep environments for children under the age of one should not include items that present a suffocation hazard to the baby.

Employees and retailers should be aware of these standards in order to inform consumers about these standards.